Auston Grove Apartment Homes Blog

These are Triangle events for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.

Friday

• Wake Tech Community College Stop Hunger Now Challenge, 9 a.m., followed by MLK Celebration Program, noon at the Student Services Building, 9101 Fayetteville Road, Raleigh. Students, faculty and staff will pack 10,000 meals to be distributed to schools and orphanages around the world.
• Durham Technical Community College's 27th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration and Luncheon, 11 a.m. in the Phail Wynn Jr. Student Services Center multipurpose room at Durham Tech.
• Bell-Ringing and State Employees' Martin Luther King Observance Program. 11:55 a.m. on the Bicentennial Plaza near the N.C. Museum of History in downtown Raleigh. Members of the N.C. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission will initiate the bell-ringing tribute before the State Employees' Observance Program, which will get under way at noon at First Baptist Church, 99 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh.
• Wreath-Laying, 6 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Memorial Gardens, 1300 Martin Luther King Blvd., Raleigh. Keynote speaker will be Norman Camp, chairman of the Southeast Raleigh Parks Advocacy Council and the South Raleigh Citizens Advisory Council.

Saturday

• Durham Parks and Recreation program, 2 p.m. at W.D. Hill Recreation Center, 1308 Fayetteville St., Durham. The theme is "MLK Day: Remembering the Legacy Through Art."
• MLK Concert Celebration, 7 p.m. at the Durham Armory, 220 Foster St., Durham. The University Choir of N.C. Central University will perform with the Durham Symphony.

Sunday

• Duke University's Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration, 3 p.m. in Duke Chapel, 401 Chapel Drive, Durham. Veteran political strategist and commentator Donna Brazile will give the keynote address.
• Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., 4 p.m. at the Garner Performing Arts Center, 742 W. Garner Road, Garner. Keynote speaker will be Reuben Young, secretary of the N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety.

Monday

• 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Triangle Interfaith Prayer Breakfast, 7 a.m. at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Research Triangle Park. Keynote speaker will be Cynthia Marshall, president of AT&T of North Carolina. For the first time, the breakfast will be televised live on WRAL-TV. Doors will open at 6 a.m.
• Triangle Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Durham, Johnston, Orange and Wake counties will host nearly 30 community service projects to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King. Durham's Signature Project is 9 a.m. to noon at American Tobacco Campus, Bay 7, where volunteers will help with a variety of projects, including assembly of homeless hygiene kits, computer drop-off and cleaning, and writing letters and creating valentines for veterans and active military. Johnston's Signature Project is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pizazz Thrift Store, where volunteers will collect diapers, new underwear, clothing and nonperishable food. Orange's Signature Project is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church, where volunteers will work on projects such as assembly of health kits. Wake's Signature Project is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at White Plains Children's Center, where volunteers will assemble hygiene kits, sort books, and write letters for veterans and active military. See www. unitedwaytriangle .org /mlk/ .
• Stop Hunger Now project. 9:30 a.m. at Duke University's Freeman Center, 1415 Faber St., Durham. Members from Duke, N.C. Central University and the Durham Rotary Club are coordinating the Million Meals Project, which is expected to package 80,000 meals.
• 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Memorial March. Assemble at 10 a.m. on the grounds of the State Capitol, and depart at 11 a.m. The theme for this year's celebration is "From The Dream to Reality ... Economic & Social Equality ... More Work to Be Done."
• Birthday party held in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. for area children at Northgate Mall, 1058 West Club Blvd., Durham. A reading at 10 a.m. of "Child of the Civil Rights Movement" by Paula Young Shelton, daughter of civil rights activist Andrew Young, will be held for preschool children. A reading at noon will be held for school-age children. Between the readings, Young Shelton will sign the book.
• 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Ecumenical Observance, noon at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh. The Rev. Nelson Johnson, executive director of The Beloved Community Development Center in Greensboro, will be the keynote speaker.
• 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Evening Musical Celebration, 5:30 p.m. at the Progress Energy Center in downtown Raleigh. Headlining will be national recording artist Ernest Pugh from Maryland.

Source: Newsobserver.com

Apartments in Raleigh, NC

Raleigh's landmark Pullen Park, the fifth-oldest operating amusement park in the nation, has been closed to visitors for almost two years. But on Nov. 19, the sounds of concrete trucks will be replaced by carousel music once again.

The $6.3 million project included updates to old attractions and modern additions.

There are new boats on the lake, the updated version of a childhood memory special to Raleigh City Councilman Russ Stephenson.

"The boats would just go round and round and round," he said. "You got to steer, and there was a string to a big bell on the front of the boat, so you got to make a big racket," he remembered.

The horses that ring the 100-year-old antique carousel were each sent away for a new paint job and new tails. Next week, they will be installed in a new, climate-controlled carousel house.

"if a grandparent brings their grandchild out to Pullen Park to say, 'This is my favorite animal. This is what I rode and it looks just like it did when I was a kid,' that's important," said Richard Costello, amusements director at the park.

"I think we all had those great memories, and we wanted to make sure those memories were preserved," Stephenson said.

The children's train will get new cars, and they will run on a new track. It will travel through a new tunnel and pull in to a revamped station.

At the playground, a climbing wall, spider webs and water and sand areas are new, as are misters to keep children cool on hot days.

Sarig Agasi, owner and chef at Raleigh restaurant Zely & Ritz, will run concessions in a new cafe featuring local, organic fare.

The project was funded by a bond approved by voters in 2003. On the day of the grand reopening, amusements will open at 10 a.m., the park will be dedicated at 2 p.m. and entertainment will follow at 3 p.m.

Apartments in Raleigh, NC

The triangle has garnered more than its share of national accolades in the quality-of-life and business-climate categories over the years.

Now Businessweek.com has dubbed Raleigh simply "the best American city."

Businessweek.com based its ranking on 16 criteria, including the number of recreational amenities, strength of the local economy and the education level of the population.

Raleigh edged out Arlington, VA and Scottsdale, Ariz., for the top ranking.

New York ranked 14th, Chicago finished near the rear, in 75th place out of 100.

In lavishing praise on Raleigh, the magazine mentioned the usual highlights, like Research Triangle Park (not in Raleigh, but close enough). Then there are three world-class universities - N.C. State University, UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University - only one of which is physically in Raleigh.

Raleigh got bonus points for a great State Farmers Market and its good air quality.

The city has also "been home to an array of celebs including Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi, Dexter star Michael C. Hall, and singer Clay Aiken (whose dog was even named Raleigh)."

Businessweek.com counted 867 restaurants, 110 bars, 51 museums and 12,512 park acres.

That's right; 51 museums. That's one museum a week for an entire year with a weekend to spare.

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Apartments in Raleigh, NC

Sparks ignite! Harmonizing voices, choreographed dances and captivating art displays await you. This month, Creative Geniuses will have their senses sparked! From extravagant indoor theatres to beautiful art galleries to exciting outdoor amphitheatres, August turns up the heat for the Creative Genius.

Adrenaline Junkie - Summer Heat

The heat is on; the Carolina Mudcats play the Montgomery Biscuits (8/11-15) and the Jacksonville Suns (8/21-25) at Zebulon’s Five County Stadium. The Carolina RailHawks take on the NSC Minnesota Stars (8/17) and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (8/20) at Cary’s WakeMed Soccer Park. Or perhaps there’s no better place to spend the day than out on the water. Visit the N.C. State Fairgrounds for the Carolina Fall Boat Show and Sale (8/19-21), the largest boat clearance sale in the state. Motorcycle enthusiasts will love the East West Classics Motorcycle Swap Meet and Show (8/20-21), at the N.C. State Fairgrounds, where they’ll find everything there is to know about bikes built before 1990. Major League Gaming, the largest professional video game league in the world, brings the MLG Pro Circuit 2011 (8/26-28) to the Raleigh Convention Center. The 18th Annual 2011 Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic (8/26-28) takes place, culminating with a game (8/28) at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course at N.C. State University’s Centennial Campus. Learn more...

Creative Genius - Theatre and Art

American Pop Legends featuring Ben E. King, The Original Tymes and Shirley Alston Reeves (8/6) perform at Meymandi Concert Hall in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts (PECPA). The Raleigh Little Theatre presents the hilarious musical parody Ruthless! The Musical (8/12-28). Raleigh’s Theatre In The Park performs John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men (8/19-20, 25-27). The North Carolina Museum of Art’s Summer Dance Series on the City Block presents nosi DANCE Theater (8/20), a mixture of modern, contemporary and hip-hop dance performances inspired by the NCMA exhibit 30 Americans. Enjoy William Shakespeare’s classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream (8/25-28) outdoors at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Part of the Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy, PECPA presents Violet (17-21, 24-28), a story a disfigured woman who travels across the county to be healed. And catch Oh What A Night! (8/31-9/1), a compilation of various musicals and plays, showcasing the talent of local artist and performers, also at PECPA. Visit the North Carolina Museum of Art’s exhibit 30 Americans (through 9/4) where you can view 75 works of art in a 15,000-square-foot gallery. While you’re there, enjoy Mirror Image: Women Portraying Women (through 11/27) which features North Carolina artists as they explore what it means to be a woman in today’s society. Learn more...

Fashionista - Dress Galore

Whether or not you’re in the market for a wedding dress, grab your girlfriends and head over to the Southern Bridal Show and Expo (8/14) at the N.C State Fairgrounds; you’ll find fabulous dresses, floral arrangements and beautiful cakes, from more than 200 companies. The Raleigh Flea Market (Sat. and Sun.), also at the fairgrounds, puts one-of-a-kind fashion, jewelry and hand-made goods right at your fingertips. Learn more...

Foodie - Famous North Carolina BBQ

Foodies will love this two-day food extravaganza: head over to Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre for the Beer-Bourbon-BBQ Festival (8/5-6) where you can sample beer, bourbon, pulled pork BBQ and all of your favorite fixins’. Enjoy a scenic tour of downtown Raleigh while nibbling on some of the best eats that the city has to offer during A Taste of Downtown Raleigh Gourmet Food Tour (8/6, 13, 30, 27). Enjoy savory delights while you learn the history of downtown Cary during a Cary Walking Food Tour (8/13, 27). Meet up with fellow beer enthusiasts at Tir na nOg Irish Pub, and enjoy Nog Run Club Monday (Mondays), where you can pick your pace during a three- to six-mile run through downtown, before heading back to the restaurant where you can enjoy dinner and an ice-cold beer. Enjoy fresh, local produce from one of the many area Farmers Markets: Downtown Raleigh (Wed.), Midtown at North Hills (Sat.), Fuquay-Varina (Wed. and Sat.), Western Wake (Sat.), Wendell (Sat.) and Wake Forest (Sat.). Learn more...

Free Spirit - Summer Concert Series

Catch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2: An IMAX 3D Experience (show times vary) on North Carolina’s only 3D-capable giant screen, at Wells Fargo IMAX Theatre at Marbles. The doors stay open late for the Museum of Natural Sciences’ First Friday (8/5). The Dixie Gun and Knife Classic (8/6-7) at the N.C. State Fairgrounds puts on display collectible firearms, custom-made knives, hunting and fishing equipment and much more. Attend GLBTQ workshops and seminars, take advantage of health screenings and participate in networking opportunities at Triangle Black Pride 2011 (7/28-8/1). Visit the Toy Train Sale and Swap Meet (8/14) at the N.C. State Fairgrounds, and you’ll find items on display from more than 100 vendors. If you’re in need of a good laugh, head over to Goodnight’s Comedy Club, where they’ve got a full line-up: comedy legend Sinbad (8/4-7), Pauley Shore (8/11-14) and Tim Wilson (8/18-19). The Summer Movie Series at the North Carolina Museum of Art brings a full line-up: Rango (8/5), Our Hospitality (8/12), The Social Network (8/19), Back to the Future (8/20) and Inception (8/26). And it’s not just movies; the Summer Concert Series at the North Carolina Museum of Art brings your favorite musicians to an outdoor stage. Enjoy An Evening with Gillian Welch (8/3), the American folk singer who worked on the soundtrack album for the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Later, acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke (8/6) entertains crowds with his fingerpicking style. Finally, the Scottish music group Battlefield Band (8/13) takes to the museum’s outdoor stage, performing traditional songs fused with new sounds from the fiddle, bagpipes, guitar and whistles. Learn more...

Lifelong Learner - Get Those Wheels Turning

During the N.C. Museums of History’s Time for Tots: George Washington’s Breakfast (8/2, 16, 30), little ones will learn about colonial breakfast foods and even get recipes they can try at home. Ever wonder how a waterwheels work? Visit Historic Yates Mill County Park, and take a Mill Heritage Tour (8/6-7, 20-21) to learn how energy is transferred from a mill’s waterwheel and used to process grain. The Joyce Meyer Conference Tour 2011 (8/18-20) stops at the RBC Center. Watch as costumed interpreters demonstrate how corn was ground into meal using waterpower during a Half-Hour Corn Grinding Tour (8/20-21) at the Historic Yates Mill County Park. The Story of North Carolina (ongoing) at the N.C. Museum of History gives you a chronological look at the history of our state, dating all the way to the 1830s. Learn more...

Music Maniac - Rock Out

Grab your friends and head to Raleigh’s Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek, where this month’s calendar is packed with fun, exciting shows. First up this month, alternative rock band 311 with Sublime and Rome (8/2); then the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival (8/3) brings a full day of excitement. Don’t miss Kenny Chesney’s Goin Coastal Tour (8/5) with Billy Currington and Uncle Kracker. Legendary rock band Journey (8/20) also performs there. The Budweiser Superfest Summer Block Party featuring Jill Scott and special guests Anthony Hamilton and Mint Condition (8/23) stops at Walnut Creek, and finish off the month with Kid Rock (8/25). Pop icon Britney Spears (8/24) performs at the RBC Center during her Femme Fatale tour. Don’t miss Death Cab For Cutie (8/8) at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Just days later, Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas and Special Guest Dawes (8/11) bring their Paper Airplane Summer Tour 2011 to Koka Booth. The Raleigh Amphitheater and Festival Site offers three great shows this month: Check out The Goo Goo Dolls with special guests Michelle Branch and Parachute (8/3); Ke$ha (8/9) hits the stage with her Get $leazy tour; and Slightly Stoopid’s Seedless Summer 2011 Tour (8/25) finishes off this month’s lineup. And enjoy a night of free music, when the Midtown Music Concert Series at North Hills brings live beach music to the streets every Thursday. This month, catch the Fabulous Kays (8/4), Band of Oz (8/11), Liquid Pleasure (8/18) and The Embers (8/25). Learn more...

Apartments in Raleigh, NC

Get in on the savings!

The N&O announces Deal Saver beginning TODAY, July 11th. If you've used Groupon or LivingSocial online, then you're already familiar with the great deals offered.

The N&O will offer the same type of deals through their new DealSaver site. This will be their own site with daily deals featuring discounts up to 90% off at local businesses. These are fantastic offers but limited in number of time of purchase.

The N&O will mail each "Deal of the Day" directly to you (and will not use your address for any other purpose.) They just want to have as many users as possible to maximize the exposure for their participating merchants. Click here to sign up for your free daily email and start taking advantage of these bargains! Like to have your own ad on DealSaver? Call June at 836-5711 or Helen, 829-4833.

Weekly Update from the Chamber, events this week and next:

TODAY, July 11, 8:55 am to noon (continues through Friday)

• Summer Camp at Zebulon United Methodist Preschool
  Theme is "The Great Outdoors"; call 269-6554 for info.

Thursday, July 14, 9 am

• Ribbon Cutting at State Farm Insurance, 1300 N. Arendell Ave
  Co-sponsored by the Wendell Chamber. Refreshments provided!

Friday, July 15, 10 am

• Ribbon Cutting (by Town of Zebulon) at new Tot Lot inside Zebulon Community Park, 301 S. Arendell Ave (for info call 823-0432)

Saturday, July 16, 10 am to 4 pm

• Zebulon Shrinettes Christmas in July fundraiser
  Zebulon Shrine Club, 1201 W. Gannon Avenue
  For more info, call Kristen at 404-5114 or Jo at 284-2888

Saturday, July 16, 7 pm

• Thomas & Hatchett in concert at A Garden Event. Enjoy an eclectic mix of music - Native American style! For info, call 747-1180.

Monday, July 18, 7 to 7:30 pm

• Mompackages Zeb/Wendell chapter meets at Wendell McDonald's

Tuesday, July 19, gates open at 3 pm

• Hotter than July Cruise'N Car Show at North Raleigh Hilton
  Call 804-382-3644 for more info

Wednesday, July 20, 11:45 am to 1 pm

• East Wake WIN luncheon at Eastern Regional Center
  RSVP required! Call the Chamber at 269-6320; note new location!

Thursday, July 21, noon

• Ambassador meeting at Chamber building

Apartments in Raleigh, NC

We had an awesome turn out for our Resident pool party. The weather was warm, the DJ was hot and the food and drink were plentiful. Thanks to everyone for coming out. Our first annual Auston Grove Cornhole Tourney was won by Brian Somers and Lindsey Biller. We look forward to the next one.

Attention Residents:

Below are the 2011-2012 assigned schools for Auston Grove residents. You can visit www.wcpss.net to view alternate options including traditional calendar, multi-track calendar and magnet schools. The only change is the Middle School changing from Carnage to East Wake. All else remains the same.

Apartments in Raleigh, NC

Auston Grove Apartments Pool Party

Help us kick off the summer at our first Pool Party of the year on
Tuesday, June 7th from 6 PM to 8 PM!

A Live DJ will be present and Pizza will be served!

We will be hosting the First Annual Auston Grove Corn Hole Tournament!

The winner will receive a $50 Best Buy Gift Card!

*Call 866-766-7492 or email leasingoffice@austongroveliving.com
to enter your 2-person corn hole team into the tournament*

Apartments in Raleigh, NC

The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico.

So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans savor this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862.

The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas.

Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought a Hapsburg prince with them to rule the new Mexican empire. His name was Maximilian; his wife, Carolota. Napoleon's French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War.

The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy -- as European countries traditionally did.

Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa, (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico's president and dictator), the Mexicans awaited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less stylish.

General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes.

When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz' superb horsemen miles away. The Mexicans had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War.

Union forces were then rushed to the Texas/Mexican border under General Phil Sheridan, who made sure that the Mexicans got all the weapons and ammunition they needed to expel the French. American soldiers were discharged with their uniforms and rifles if they promised to join the Mexican Army to fight the French. The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico, City.

It might be a historical stretch to credit the survival of the United States to those brave 4,000 Mexicans who faced an army twice as large in 1862. But who knows?

In gratitude, thousands of Mexicans crossed the border after Pearl Harbor to join the U.S. Armed Forces. As recently as the Persian Gulf War, Mexicans flooded American consulates with phone calls, trying to join up and fight another war for America.

Mexicans, you see, never forget who their friends are, and neither do Americans. That's why Cinco de Mayo is such a party -- A party that celebrates freedom and liberty. There are two ideals which Mexicans and Americans have fought shoulder to shoulder to protect, ever since the 5th of May, 1862. VIVA! el CINCO DE MAYO!!

Apartments in Raleigh, NC

Whether you’re telecommuting on a regular basis or just occasionally getting some work done at home, you’ll want to set up your home office to maximize efficiency. This means not only having the basics for work, like a comfortable desk space, but also making sure you have all the technological tools you need to work from home. Here are some suggestions for equipment that can help you work remotely.

A computer and monitor.
This goes without saying, right?  Depending on how and where you work, the best setup might be a small laptop or “netbook” and a separate monitor, giving you portability without subjecting you to constant eyestrain.

A fast Internet connection.
If you can’t get online quickly and consistently, your productivity will suffer. Your apartment community manager or a neighbor may have advice on which Internet provider in your area is the fastest and most hassle-free.

A wireless router.
Plug your modem into a router and you’ll be able to set up your computer anywhere in your apartment and still connect to the Internet. This can be especially useful if you share your desk or office space.

A printer and scanner.
You can find an “all-in-one” printer/scanner/fax machine combination, or buy only the components you need separately. Choose a multifunction machine if you need to save space; look for plenty of internal memory, and test it before you buy, if possible. (If your work requires attractive graphics, however, spend the money on the printer and scanner; you’ll be able to scan and e-mail documents you might otherwise fax.)

Anti-virus software.
You’ll need anti-virus software even if you’re not working from home, but it’s even more vital if clients’ data is at stake. Talk to your office’s IT department; they might be able to provide you with software and regular updates.

A Webcam.
If your office has video conference calls, your colleagues will be able to see you (dressed and ready for work, no less!), making you seem a lot more “present” even when you’re not in the office. Many computers now come with built-in Webcams; if you use video conferencing frequently, you might want to upgrade to a higher-quality stand-alone camera.

Conference calling.
Your employer may already have an account with an online conferencing provider, such as WebEx. You may also want a headset to make phone calls easier. If you make a lot of international calls, consider using a service like Skype to connect abroad.

Tech support.
Your company may provide technical support to telecommuters, but if it does not, you’ll need someone to speak to if your computer crashes. Support.com is a relatively new company in this field. Best Buy’s famous Geek Squad is another option for assistance.

Apartments in Raleigh, NC